JAVA EE: Java Tutorial : What Can Java Technology do?

Thursday, 23 July 2015

Java Tutorial : What Can Java Technology do?

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Overview of Java Technology

Java is both a high-level programming language and a powerful software platform. The Java platform brings together a complete ecosystem that enables developers to build, run, deploy, and manage versatile applications.

1. Built-In Development Tools

When you install the Java Development Kit (JDK), its bin folder includes critical executable utilities you will rely on every day:

javac: The Java compiler that transforms your source code into bytecode.
java: The launcher that executes your compiled Java applications.
javadoc: Generates HTML-based documentation directly from your code comments.
Debuggers & Monitoring Tools: Help trace errors and monitor application performance.

2. The Application Programming Interface (API)

Java comes equipped with a massive library of pre-written software components organized into packages. Packages group related classes and interfaces, such as:

java.lang: Houses fundamental classes like String, Integer, and System.
java.util: Provides essential data structures and collections, such as ArrayList, sets, and maps.

The JDK is a superset of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). While the JRE contains the runtime libraries and JVM needed to run programs, the JDK provides all of that plus the compilers and development tools.

3. GUI Toolkits & Integration Libraries

Beyond core utilities, Java technology provides frameworks to handle interactive interfaces and backend connections:

User Interface Toolkits: Build graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using modern frameworks like JavaFX, Swing, and AWT.
Integration Libraries: Connect with enterprise relational databases through JDBC or communicate across distributed networks using RMI.